


Black Wedding

by Catatonica



Series: The Taste of Copper [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Marriage, Pregnancy, Protective Siblings, Reader-Insert, Unplanned Pregnancy, Weddings, series works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:27:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27539881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catatonica/pseuds/Catatonica
Summary: Seven years have passed since your marriage to Katakuri and despite initial marital problems, you have managed to get together. Being married to a pirate could be so nice if it wasn't for the duties and the family.
Relationships: Charlotte Katakuri/Reader
Series: The Taste of Copper [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012350
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	1. Déjà-vu

**Author's Note:**

> Part 02 of the Taste of Copper series! Have fun! :)

"Why don't you let me in on this?" you asked for the third time. "Come on, I'm your wife!"  
"You're no commander," Katakuri replied curtly and handed you another stack of papers. "No commander, no classified information."  
You rolled your eyes, sorted the lists that were handed to you. It was another one of those days, the ones where you try to get a little bit of information out of your husband. Recently, he was often called to Big Mom's house, along with crackers and smoothie. Snack had been relieved of his command some time ago after a crushing defeat by a pirate of the worst generation. Linlin had no understanding for defeat, so Snack was lucky to be alive at all. But Big Mom was planning something, something that for the time being only the commanders were allowed to know about. Your curiosity was once again almost uncontrollable, but Katakuri remained firm and didn't tell you anything. An impudence in your eyes, but what could you accomplish against the will of your stubborn husband?  
"Maybe I'll still be commander," you said and leaned over the dining table. Katakuri looked at you mockingly from the corner of his eye and snorted.  
"If you become commander, I'll do without doughnuts for the rest of my life," he said with a sneering undertone, but that only earned him a powerful kick against his shin.  
"Don't be so mean," you demanded angrily. "I am doing really well! You said so yourself..."  
"Yes, I am." he agreed, of necessity. "You've really improved a lot - but it's still not enough to be Commander."  
"You really know how to motivate someone." Katakuri had become a wonderful husband, but often too honest. Couldn't he at least once gloss over something to spare your feelings?  
Seven years of marriage bound you together and how else could you describe it but: A wild rollercoaster of emotions, dominance and teasing personalities. The beginning had been bumpy: Fights, nasty looks and it had taken a while until you got involved with each other. After a few years of hard work and many compromises, you were finally quite close to a perfect marriage, apart from the little squabbles of everyday life. Your iron will against his iron will - every now and then there were some small quarrels. But you still had escaped a big catastrophe, who could say that about yourself?  
"You know what today is, don't you?", you asked, changing the subject with a satisfied grin on your face. "It's the first Friday of the month."  
Katakuri looked up from his notes on the current orders and sighed heavily.  
"Already?"  
"Yep." Self-satisfied, you leaned far over the table and nudged him with your pen. "And you know what that means, too."  
"Out for dinner."  
"Out for dinner," you smugly confirmed. He moaned annoyed and gave you a helpless look.  
"Can't we skip this just once?" he asked. "I still have a lot to do."  
"Nothing there." You stood up and grabbed his arm to pull him up, too. "Come on, the deal was clear: You go out with me once a month and I won't cut your hair for that anymore."  
It sounded like a funny, simple deal, but there was an easy to guess backstory to it.  
Good thing you hadn't become a hairdresser.  
  


It was a nice evening and even though Katakuri liked to complain about going out, he secretly enjoyed it. He might have felt many things with his haki - emotions, the future and lurking dangers - but nothing beat a woman's instincts. Outwardly he might be cold and aloof, but in your own four walls he was mostly wax in your hands. Behind every strong man stood an even stronger woman.  
"Was that so bad now?", you asked with a smile. "The food was good."  
With a yawn, you kicked your boots into the corner of your bedroom, whereupon Katakuri just rolled his eyes. Your occasional mess upset him, but so late in the evening he didn't feel like talking anymore. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders, threw his own things on the floor in front of your bed and pulled you onto it. A delighted giggle escaped you as he grabbed your waist, put one hand on your neck and kissed you. As if he was wax in your hands - this man knew exactly how to get you on your knees...  
After a long, long night you opened your eyes the next morning and yawned heartily. He still had an arm wrapped around you, pulling you back again and again when you tried to wriggle out of his grip. Rarely was he so affectionate, but it was exactly these moments you enjoyed. With a satisfied sigh you turned to the side, wrapped your arms around his torso and buried your face in the crook of his neck. To feel his skin against yours was the most beautiful feeling in the world, nothing could beat that - well, except maybe the damn good sex.  
"We have to get up", you heard a rough voice next to you and you moved the corners of your mouth down. He was right, but in bed it was so nice and warm and when such a beautiful, undressed man lay next to you... Who wanted to work?  
"Ten more minutes?", you asked and pressed yourself even closer to him. "Please."  
"Today is very busy," your husband replied and he sat up. You watched the hardened muscles tense under his skin and your fingertips moved gently over the extensions of his tattoo. A shiver ran through his body under your touch and with a mischievous look you looked into his red eyes.  
"You will soon be 48", you said and your hand went a little deeper. "And yet you held on so well."  
Katakuri gave you a look that was partly amused and partly stern.  
"Very kind, thank you," you received in reply, but he knew what you were getting at. "Ten minutes, huh? Then we'd better hurry."  
  


"A letter for you." Magda held an envelope under your nose. Was it another letter from Hannah? She'd hardly written to you in three years. According to your father, she was very busy. After all, she was to lead the tribe in a few years. There was a lot to learn to be able to take over the leadership: Politics, warfare and how to keep a big village going with all kinds of different personalities. If it hadn't been for your marriage to Katakuri, you would have become the next tribal head. Your sister Hilda had gone to sea, so she couldn't take over that task either. Hannah was the last in the ranking and with a lot of work, diligence and discipline she would become a very good leader!  
"From Hannah?" Katakuri asked. Together you sat at the dining table, you ate a hearty breakfast while your husband made do with coffee. It was a normal morning in your everyday life: A breakfast together, then you both went to work and spent the evenings together in your private room. At first you were afraid that the daily routine would make your marriage boring. Doing the same thing every day, over and over again - for years? You enjoy every damn second you spend with him!  
"She hasn't written to me for a long time," you said, chewing on your bun. "I wonder what she wants? I don't think she just wants to say hello."  
Katakuri shrugged, emptied his coffee and stood up. For a moment he straightened his scarf, then he leaned down towards you and gave you a kiss on the forehead.  
"Until this evening," you heard the beautiful, rough voice and a loving look followed him until he disappeared from the dining room. Barely audible you sighed and stared after him. Damn, you really loved this man with all your heart.  
It took you a moment to break out of the trance, then you opened the letter and began to read. To your amazement, the letter was apparently not from Hannah, but from... Hilda? She had never written to you before!

  
_..._  
_I docked at the harbor yesterday and I'm so happy to finally see father again! And Hannah has really grown up, you must come and visit us!_  
_But that won't be a problem, after all I'm getting married in three weeks and you can't miss that under any circumstances!_

  
  
You let the paper sink and stared for a moment into the nothing. That must have been a bad joke. Your sister Hilda was home again, wanted to get married and invited you to be there? Déjà vu.  
"You have got to be kidding me..." you mumbled to yourself and drove over your face with your hand. Another wedding in your family? Another sister inviting you to her wedding? Not to mention Hilda, probably the last person in the world who could be the blushing bride. She was the epitome of a warrior: strong as fifty men, loud and rough. Who the hell would marry such a headstrong woman like Hilda?  
Moaning, you took a sip of your coffee and folded the letter together.  
You would have to discuss that with your husband.


	2. I vowed to love you for a thousand years

Katakuri was not impressed. Just like you, he remembered the events on Litjässe: The fake wedding of Hannah, just to keep you and your husband apart. Floki, who tried to force you to come back to your homeland, and Katakuri, who had almost made him a head shorter. Disaster was the right term for it and even though it was four years ago, it was still in your bones.  
"If it's still a trap, it's a very stupid trap," he said. "The same ambush twice?"  
"I know, but I got a bad feeling about this one." You were uneasy about that invitation, very uneasy indeed. Was it another trap?  
"Then we'll stay here."  
"But she's my sister!" you hissed in anger. "I can't miss her wedding."  
A look from Katakuri to the ceiling - it was a silent plea for a stronger thread of patience. Your wild madness was not always bearable for him, but he played along as long as he could.  
"I missed some of my sisters' weddings," he finally said. "Can I take a shower in peace now?"  
Still you held the shower curtain open while a husband looked at you very irritated and threatening. It was well past midnight and Katakuri had a long day behind him; all he wanted was a hot shower and some sleep. Instead, you instantly took off your clothes, threw them over your shoulder, and got in the shower with him, just to keep making him desperate with your insecure thoughts. You ignored his annoyed moans - as well as the fact that he demonstratively turned away from you.  
"That doesn't count with you," you babbled on. "You have, I don't know, thirty sisters? You forget a wedding!"  
"No five minutes of peace in this house..."  
"If we go there, it could be another trap, but if we don't go there, Hilda will never speak to me again," you continued your monologue in the shower. "Come on, I need a little help here."  
He turned to you and grabbed you by the shoulders. The red eyes sparkled at you angrily, so that you moved your mouth to an apologetic smile.  
"Darling." Oh no - he only used this pet name when his patience with you was at an absolute end. "You're going to go to bed now and let me take my damn shower in peace. Then you'll sleep on it for a night and we'll talk about it tomorrow."  
"But--"  
"No buts." With that he pushed you out of the shower and it was clear that this rather one-sided conversation was over. Grumbling, you grabbed a towel and left your bathroom. Great husband, you needed some advice and he just pushed you out!  
"What if Floki is back," you babbled, just as Katakuri fell into bed and took a deep, exhausted breath. Your endless string of words tore at his nerves, even though he could partially understand the reason. You felt how irritable he was and yet you couldn't stop talking about your sister's invitation. Hilda was headstrong and a sudden wedding fit the bill somehow, but Hannah's betrayal was still deep.  
"Or what if..."  
With an irritated tone of voice he hissed your name, which made you flinch. He was annoyed and that was understandable, but you were seriously insecure about this whole thing.  
"Okay, here's the deal." He knew perfectly well that you wouldn't give it a rest. "We'll go there, attend the wedding, and if, contrary to expectations, it should be a trap - then we'll just leave again. Like last time."  
"But what if it really is a trap again," you said quietly and pulled the blanket up a little higher. "If my other sister betrays me, too..."  
He sighed, raising his arm to pull you into an embrace. Despite his bad mood he tried to catch your insecurity and to calm you down. He wasn't very good at all the emotional things, comforting you when you were sad and he was usually not very sensitive. And still he tried hard, ventured into unknown emotional areas.  
"Stop spinning," he said, one hand in your hair and the other at your waist. "Let's go there and see what's waiting for us."  
You remained silent, for he was right again. You didn't know why you were going so damn crazy about this upcoming wedding. The last trap was aimed at separating you and Katakuri, so if it was another ambush, the meaning had to be the same. Did your fear mean that you saw your relationship as in danger? Was it not as stable as you thought?  
"You love me, don't you?"  
Your husband sat up and you felt his eyes on you. The light was already off, but through the window some moonlight came in. You saw his silhouette in the pale light, how his chest rose and fell under the tense breaths.  
"You're getting carried away with something," he said seriously. "What is the matter with you?"  
"I'm afraid," you confessed, glad that it was dark and he couldn't see the tears in the corner of your eyes. "What if they had really torn us apart then?"  
"Give me a break, that was four years ago," growled Katakuri and let himself fall back onto the mattress. His patience was at an end, he didn't know what to do. You acted so strangely and that only because of a wedding.  
"I'm sorry." You tried to take a deep breath and calm down. Nothing bad was gonna happen, you said to yourself.

  
  
_I love him. He loves me._

  
  
Leaning over the railing you groan, a hand on your stomach, and you begged for redemption. Fucking seasickness, fucking seafaring!  
"Better?", Katakuri asked, leaning next to you on the railing, his arms crossed and a little gleeful about your suffering. He found your seasickness amusing, and he loved to laugh about it - after all, he was a pirate and was literally born on a ship.  
"No," you groaned. "Sorry, that must be so disgusting-"  
"It's not so bad," he said and stroked your back with one hand. "How many times do you think I've been puked on by my brothers and sisters?"  
"When they were babies?"  
"I wish..." he replied, rolling his eyes. "Cracker once got so drunk that he was convinced he could survive a fall from the fourth floor of the palace."  
"No offense, but Cracker is an idiot," you sighed and sat down on the deck.  
"Well, he survived it. "And broke three ribs, his arm and his thigh."  
"Ouch," you muttered, somewhat impressed by such a lack of intelligence, and then leaned quickly back over the railing while your husband patted your back.  
  


"It's so good to see you!" Hilda ran towards you and two strong, muscular arms immediately constricted you. She lifted you up, you were caught in a tight embrace and your ribs ached under the pressure of her biceps.  
"Hilda-" you groaned breathlessly. The blue, sparkling eyes patterned you cheerfully and her long, curly hair fell over her back in wide waves. She looked very much like Hannah, only she had about three times the muscle mass. With her huge upper arms, she could easily break Katakuri's back.  
She let go of you, spreading her arms again to pull Katakuri into a crushing hug as well - but his warning look kept her from doing so. Instead, she shook his hand, congratulated him for making a good catch with you and even inserted a small threat that if he wasn't good to you she would hurt him. Typical Hilda, always happily threatening the men.  
"Hilda, please don't take it amiss, but-" You squeezed in between them. "Is your wedding just a fake to keep me and Katakuri apart?"  
She looked at you for a moment, then laughingly put her hands on her hips and shook her head.  
"The Hannah thing, I get it. She told me and I can reassure you, I really plan to get married," she reassured you and painfully you realized that you really missed her piercing laugh. You hadn't seen her for over seven years and now she was a great warrior, a stunning woman and unlike Hannah, she didn't lie to you: Hilda was mercilessly honest, just like your husband.  
"So, who is the lucky one?" you asked her, while she made her way arm in arm to the village, Katakuri behind you and silent as so often.  
"Oh, I think you mean the lucky one," she corrected you. "Frieda. She is my vice."  
"Frieda, really? You used to pull her braids all the time when we were little!"  
"I wonder why," Hilda said with another laugh. She was the exact opposite of Hannah - the youngest was shy, reserved and always careful not to upset anyone. Hilda had been a bully since your childhood days, had fought with the boys in the village and had only caused difficulties. Then came you, the perfect mixture of the two. Thoughtful and forward-looking, but with an indomitable temperament. Your father had had his hands full after the death of your mother, and when you thought of the days of your childhood, your heart became heavy. You missed your mother every day, even if it was a pain that nobody could understand except your sister. Not even Katakuri you had told a lot about it, it was strange to talk about your mother - and you were just not ready.  
Almost thirty years after her death you still couldn't say it, talk about it and deal with it. But sooner or later you would have to do it. The only person you could talk to was your husband, no one else knew so much about your inner being. He was your husband, your best friend and closest confidant: Just because he didn't know much about emotional stuff didn't mean that he wasn't interested in your feelings. Besides, he was aloof, but certainly not insensitive! There was a lot more going on underneath his surface than he thought, and even after seven years of marriage he didn't tell you everything. You often wondered what was going on behind those wine-red eyes when you caught him brooding. But it was useless to ask about it, he never told you anyway.  
Hilda babbled wildly, not caring that you turned to the side and gave Katakuri a worried look.  
"I have a bad feeling," you said softly to him. "I'm not sure what it is, but it makes my stomach hurt."  
The unreadable, red eyes stared at you and he nodded slightly.  
"I know. I can feel it too."  
  



	3. An angel once, now a ghost of you

Your father Aegir was overjoyed to finally see you again and he immediately took you in his arms. He was respectful towards Katakuri, even if a bit reserved - like all inhabitants of the island. They didn't judge him hastily, but the fact that he was such a big shot in Big Mom's pirate gang made especially the older people angry. You both deliberately ignored the hostile undertones, even if it was a little hurtful for you.  
"Where is Hannah?" you asked your father. "Shouldn't she be studying? Get involved in politics?"  
A loud, hearty laugh from Hilda interrupted your question and you looked at your sister. She leaned against the door frame with a wry grin, one hand on her sword and an apple in the other. She bit into the fruit and smacked loudly - she really had no manners at all.  
"Hannah and politics?" she asked with her mouth full. "She's at the back of the training area training the chicks!"  
"Since when has little Hannah been training the kids?", you asked immediately. The petite, lanky Hannah was not suitable to teach the children how to handle sword and shield!  
"Come along," Hilda waved you over and Katakuri wanted to lead you to the training area. "You'll make eyes!"  
  


You'll be surprised! Hannah was about to scold a boy for his carelessness when you greeted her from a distance and looked up at her. The shy little crybaby was gone, but instead there stood a confident, muscular young woman. In her hand lay a heavy two-handed man and under the weight of the metal the muscles in her arms tightened. With your mouth open, you stared at the freckled Hannah, who snorted at the sight of you and spat the blade of grass at the corner of her mouth.  
"Ah, so they've arrived," she said and turned to the small group of children in the square. "A short break. Go and get something to eat."  
"Hannah!," Hilda shouted happily and gave the youngest one a playful but strong slap on the shoulder. "I hope you are getting the training with the chicks right?"  
"Of course," she replied and struck back, so that both laughed and rubbed their aching shoulders. "Hello you two."  
You were still shocked by the sight of your 'little' sister and Katakuri watched the whole thing wordlessly once again but you felt his surprise.  
"Where did you get these?!", you suddenly asked and gesticulated wildly to Hannah's remarkable biceps. "Since when are you a warrior?!"  
"Counter-question: Why aren't you one," countered the youngest and got a high five from Hilda, who laughed in the background. The two looked so familiar, as if they had suddenly built up a close relationship after all these years. You took a step back, felt intimidated by them. You were the big sister here, Hannah had always had the closest bond to you! It was obvious that she was now more attached to Hilda, that you had become the stranger and were only considered a visitor here. Your sisters made it clear that this island was no longer your home.  
"Don't tell me you're still angry about the thing with Floki," Hannah said and checked you out briefly. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be so vindictive."  
Her judgmental tone drove a painful lump in your throat and tears in your eyes. When had your dear little sister turned into such a cheeky fighter? And since when had she looked at you as if you were just a stranger, an unworthy one in her eyes?  
"I'm tired," you suddenly said and reached for Katakuri's hand. "Long journey, you know that."  
"Shall I take you to the hut?", Hilda asked immediately, but you shook your head.  
"Hilda, I was born here," you said emphatically. "I know where the damn shack is!"  
You pulled Katakuri with you, leaving your laughing and gossiping sisters behind. Tears were burning in your eyes and you just couldn't understand the hostile undertone of Hannah. What had you done to them to suddenly shut you out and treat you like a stranger? Just because you got married you were suddenly no longer part of their family?  
"Wait." When the door of the cabin closed behind you and your husband, he immediately grabbed your neck and pulled you into an embrace. "Don't cry, come on."  
You sobbed up, trying to breathe deeply and calmly. He was right, you didn't want to cry like a child - it just came as a surprise. He brushed your hair out of your face and you nodded, wiping the tears from your eyes.  
"I can't believe it," you muttered weakly. "Suddenly the two are best friends. They could hardly stand each other before!"  
"They've grown up," Katakuri tried to find an explanation for this strange turn of events. "When I was young, I was always fighting with Daifuku and Oven too."  
"You still do," you chuckled with a choking sound. "When you heard about his great kissing plan back then - I had to pull you off him by force."  
"As if you could stop me from doing anything by force," he replied amusedly and you received a short kiss on the forehead. "I am much stronger than you."  
"Siblings are strange," you said and looked up at him.  
"Yes, they are," he agreed. "At least you only have two. Have you ever tried to remember over 70 birthdays?"  
You couldn't resist a laugh any longer and gratefully you gave him a quick glance. Distant or not, he made every effort to be there for you. What did you do to deserve this man?  
"You know, the hot spring in the garden still exists," you tried to change the subject. "Interested?"  
"Hot water, relaxation, and a beautiful woman," he replied, leaning slightly down towards you. You felt the tips of his teeth on your neck and had to bite your lower lip to suppress an expectant sigh. "How could a man resist?"

  
"Just before we left, you had a bad dream," you said softly. The hot spring was a real relief, just like last time, and it calmed your chaotic thoughts a little. Katakuri sighed - the habit of discussing serious topics in relaxed situations was not necessarily his favorite quality about you.  
"How would you know," he replied impatiently, but you could hear the cautious undertone.  
"You sleep restlessly sometimes." Your eyes watched him anxiously. What could be so serious that Katakuri had nightmares about it? Did it have something to do with his observation shaki?  
"Everyone has bad dreams," he tried to talk his way out of it but you wouldn't give in.  
"I dream about my mother sometimes," you said softly and he seemed surprised that you talked to your mother. Rarely did you say a single word about her, but if he didn't want to confide in you, it was probably time for you to take the first step.  
"You never told me much about her."  
"She died shortly after Hannah was born," you continued your story. "She defended the harbour against pirates. I think that's why everyone was so upset that I married a pirate. It was just before my sixth birthday, Hilda was only three years old and Hannah was just a baby."  
"I'm very sorry about that."  
You shook your head.  
"Don't be. She died protecting us, a great honor to be leaving like that." It hurt to talk about it, but you wanted to move on. You wanted to tell him how much it hurt, how much you missed her. "I even dream about her quite often and sometimes they are nightmares."  
"When I was 10, I-" He hesitated, broke off in mid-sentence. He wanted to cover up his insecurity, to push the pain down. You weren't so dissimilar in those things. "When Daifuku, Oven, and I were ten years old, we raided the pantry. I hardly need to mention that mom didn't find that as funny as we did. As punishment, she left us standing in the corner for twenty hours. No food, no water, no sleep.  
"Katakuri," you said softly, and put one hand on his chest. "That's terrible."  
"Daifuku beat the crap out of them too, there was nothing I could do."  
"You were ten," you tried to calm him down. Your heart grew heavy and ached with compassion for your husband. Your mother was dead, but his mother was a fucking monster! "And I suppose that was not the only incident in your childhood."  
He shook his head, refused to say anything more. You respected the pain and that it was not easy to talk about such things. That he had told you about it was enough proof of trust, you didn't want to push him anymore.  
Immediately you were angry again about your sisters and your mood dropped again. Something told you that much trouble was coming your way. There was a strange feeling in your stomach and it urged you to be careful.  
  



	4. I vowed to bleed for you

It was a beautiful afternoon on the island, the sun laughed at your misery and your mood was at rock bottom. A decent giant wedding included good food, alcohol and of course the jewelry. You were condemned by your father to help and it was not even an exciting task. You had sat down on one of the meadows outside the village, a basket with you and you were weaving the wreaths for the brides. It was tradition that the bride wore a lush wreath of flowers and since there were two brides - double work for you. Unfortunately you were not very talented in such things as weaving. The daisies just wouldn't hold and the myrtle refused to be woven.  
"Shit!" you curse softly. Katakuri sat next to you under a tree, his back leaning against the trunk, and it was obvious that he enjoyed the time out. On Flour Island he could hardly dream of lazing around during the day and in public! But during your 'vacation' he enjoyed the peace and quiet outside the village, even if it was interrupted by your cursing every now and then.  
"You had a week to practice," he mocked. "If you can't do it, then just leave it."  
"Tse! You try it, big mouth," you hissed over a heap of crushed daisies.  
"I'm certainly not going to make flower chains," he replied immediately.  
A mischievous smile lay on your face, this performance was very amusing. It was an annoying, exhausting job to weave those damn flower wreaths and yet you did it. Hilda's wedding didn't really seem to be a fake: The preparations were in full swing throughout the village and two ships from friendly islands had already docked at the harbor. The village filled with half giants and even some thoroughbred giants - Big Mom would be happy to see the giant figures. You thought gloatingly of your mother-in-law's monster, she would certainly give a lot to be able to count the giants among her allies. She had given up on marrying her children to giants, instead she had invested in some mad scientist who would make her dream of giants come true. It was probably a former colleague of the famous Dr. Vegapunk who was now wanted for a price. You shake your head over such a desperate act, but Big Mom was still unpredictable.  
You had noticed the good mood of your husband in the past days. Katakuri was very talkative by his standards, his always serious look softened and you had the faintest idea that he was enjoying this little vacation. Far away from any responsibility and duties he could just be Katakuri. It didn't bother anyone that he lay in the sun and lazed while you fought with the daisies and cursed quietly. Nobody called him perfect, he didn't have to meet any expectations. You allowed him the time off with all your heart.  
  


"They look terrible." Hannah appeared behind you and reached into the basket, pulled out one of the wreaths and inspected it. "What can you do?"  
Inside, you urged you to be patient, but your little sister was getting on your nerves and fueled your anger. Four years ago she had told you in tears that she was terribly sorry and that she was only worried about you. At first you really thought that the plan of the fake wedding was a fake, but slowly you began to suspect it. Floki would not have been smart enough to plan such a thing in her life. The idiot was strong, but also stupid. Hannah, on the other hand, was extremely intelligent and since childhood she was good at manipulating people. Had she really waited all these years to show her true colors?  
"I can do a lot of things, thank you very much," you growled and snatched the corolla from her again. "I've developed a whole new strain of wheat and I doubt that this is within your realm of possibility."  
"Oho, so my sister is Big Mom's head gardener," Hannah sneered and shouldered her two-handed.  
"Better than a second-rate warrior," you spat angrily. Who did she think she was talking to you like that?!  
"Future tribal chief, if you please," you got the cool answer from the blonde. "Father will turn over the leadership to me this year. Then we'll finally do more than just sit around on this damn island."  
"What do you mean?" you asked. Your stomach contracted painfully and cold goose bumps crawled across your neck. "Hannah, what are you doing?"  
"Olaf's shipyard is building us some new ships," she said, thrusting her sword into the ground and leaning on it. Her mouth was surrounded by a cool smile and her sparkling blue eyes were as icy as the snow on the mountain range. "We are going to expand our sphere of action a little. So being under Big Mom's protection has its advantages after all, huh?"  
"You can't just sail off as a pirate," you replied and stood up. Your husband's eyes were immediately on you, watching the situation between you and Hannah attentively. He did not move in his place under the tree, but he was ready to intervene if necessary.  
"What do you know," your sister said unconcernedly. Her seemingly endless self-confidence and calm manner upset you, because this arrogance was dangerous. If she thought she could do too much, not only she would suffer the consequences, but the whole island. The old, the weak and also the children!  
"Hannah, when you go to sea as a pirate and indiscriminately attack other islands-" You ran your hair through your hair, stunned and speechless about her naivety. "You can't be serious! If you act against Big Mom's will, she will personally raze you to the ground."  
She mustered you briefly and then laughed up, shaking her head.  
"What, you don't know?" she followed up and her look was partly amused and partly gloating. "Hilda has been doing that for years! She's been sailing the Grand Line under Big Mom's flag for three years, robbing every unlucky ship she comes across."  
A not inconsiderable amount of swear words slipped out of your mouth. Didn't your sisters understand the seriousness of the situation? Cheating on Big Mom, using her name to enrich the island - that almost amounted to suicide. You looked helplessly at Katakuri, who then had to interfere and got up. He went to the two of you and looked down at Hannah.  
"What you are trying to do is more than just stupid," he said calmly. "I strongly advise against it. Sooner or later, she'll find out."  
"Oh, shut your ugly mouth," poisoned Hannah immediately. "We were not voluntarily placed under your mother's flag. We were forced to! So I suggest you get your unsightly, scarred face out of our village as soon as possible."  
She couldn't finish her sentence when you were already swinging and gave your sister a powerful slap in the face.  
"Nobody talks to my husband like that," you hissed and pounced on her. The moment of surprise on your side you pushed Hannah to the ground and punched her in the face once more. You had already bloodied her nose, but the anger at her let you continue. Hannah grabbed your collar and rolled to the side, pulling you along with her so that you lay on your back.  
"Traitor!" she shouted at you and rammed her elbow into your face. Blindingly hot pain ran through your body and you felt warm blood begin to run from your nose. "You have allied yourself with the fucking enemy!"  
"Have you lost your mind?!" you growled and dodged a punch by leaning your head to the side. Your hand got a hold of her right arm and you managed to escape her grip, rolled away to the side and got on your feet as quickly as possible. "Enemy? Big Mom would have killed you if I hadn't married Katakuri!"  
"I gave you the chance to leave him," Hannah said, and she too got back on her feet. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, spat the blood in her mouth on the floor and grabbed her two-handed man. Instantly movement came into your husband, he was already about to step in between, until you stopped him with one raised hand. That was not his fight. He respected your gesture, but Mogura threw you so that you did not have to face your sister defenselessly. You caught the trident and examined her with concern. Did she really want to go that far and fight you seriously?  
"So it was really your idea," you said. "I'm disappointed in you."  
"Well, stick it up your ass." She raised her sword and took a big step towards you. Immediately you shifted your weight downward, bended your knees slightly and followed her movements closely. It hurt that she actually wanted to do that. Your own sister attacked you for whatever reason. You would have expected such a short-sighted decision from Hilda, but from the smart and kind Hannah?  
With the head of the trident you caught her blade and forced her to take an evasive step to the right.  
"I will not fight with you," you said with a pleading undertone. "Hannah, stop it!"  
"You have left us alone!" she hissed and raised her sword so that you had to dodge. Her movements were powerful, but so much slower than Katakuri's. Having your husband as your teacher and training partner was a blessing in this case, you were able to dodge her attacks with ease. You didn't have an observation shaki, but their movements were easy to see through. Her left foot slipped forward, found a secure footing - and you dodged another attack with a step backwards.  
"Hannah!," you kept begging, but she wouldn't listen. The blood dripped from your nose over your lips, it tasted disgusting.

  
  
_The taste of copper._

  
  
"I'm sorry I hit you," you kept trying, catching her blade a second time with your husband's gun. Your hands began to tremble and Mogura slipped away from you a little.  
"It broke my father's heart that you married that monster!" Her voice was angry and hateful, it was almost unbearable. She was your little sister, you didn't want to hurt her. "You hated your fucking husband! Why did you stay with that monster?!"  
Tears were streaming down your cheeks when Hannah almost caught you with her sword and your strength faded. Defending yourself against enemies was one thing, but fighting your sister was too much. You would not hurt her, no matter what!  
"Katakuri!" you shouted desperately and immediately your husband was on the spot. He had only waited for you to turn to him and he was ready to end this fight immediately. He didn't even need his devil powers for that, he was with your sister in one sentence and avoided her coming blow. He knocked the sword out of her hand and gave her a strong punch in the stomach. Hannah moaned in pain, but the blow was enough to make her unconscious. Katakuri caught your sister and lifted her onto his shoulder. With a sob you handed him his weapon and wiped your face with your sleeve.  
So your bad feeling had been justified once again.  
  



	5. I never meant to forsake you

"Now just hold still."  
"But it hurts!"  
"Why are you fighting with her too?" Katakuri held your chin tight so that you couldn't turn your face left and right. You had brought Hannah to Hilda and Katakuri took care of your bleeding nose in your hut. At first you insisted on wiping the blood from your face yourself, but after you stood in front of the mirror for twenty minutes crying, it became too stupid. So now you sat on the bed while he maltreated you with a wet towel.  
"Ouch!", you complained one more time, but your husband knew no mercy. Unfortunately, your aching nose distracted you only moderately from the terrible day. Your own sister was keen to make you shorter, and that only because you married Katakuri? Why the hell was she so angry at you?  
"I hope she's all right," you said quietly and gave him a reproachful look. "You were very rough on her."  
"You asked me for help and I helped," your husband replied and looked at your face more closely. "There will be no black eye, I suppose."  
"I want to go home," you muttered defiantly. "Another wedding that turns out to be a disaster."  
"We are not going home!" Surprised at Katakuri's stern and impatient tone of voice, you looked at him. His look was annoyed and you couldn't understand why he seemed to be angry with you. Does the whole world hate you now?  
"Why not?"  
"Is that your first thought when things get a bit difficult?!", he drove at you. "Just walk away? You've been acting like a little kid ever since we got here! You take your sisters' growing up personally and you are always trying to tell them what to do and what not to do.  
"Don't be so mean," you tried to avoid him. His words hurt, but they only hurt so much because he was right.  
"I'm not mean, I have over 70 brothers and sisters," he continued, even though his tone of voice softened a little. "I know that it is not always easy with them. They do things that upset you and they make mistakes that they later regret. Please believe me when I tell you: You can talk into their conscience as often as you want, they will still run blindly into these stupid mistakes.  
Speechlessly you stared at him, tears in the corners of your eyes and shocked by his lecture. In all the seven years of marriage he had never given you such an honest and long lecture - he had never given you one at all.  
"I know," you admitted and lowered your head. "I guess I feel guilty about leaving her here."  
"You didn't leave her behind."  
"Yes, this is all my fault," you sighed.  
"The world doesn't revolve around you, Katakuri clarified and kissed you. Well, maybe my world does.  
"That was by far the most romantic thing you've ever said to me," you replied delightedly and pressed two or three more kisses on his mouth. A little embarrassed, he withdrew his touch and pulled the scarf back up over his mouth.  
"I never said anything so stupid."  
You nodded in agreement. It sounded kind of corny, way too corny for your husband. I guess it was a one-time thing, as stupid as he seemed at the time.  
"You know, I don't care if they pick on me," you said and drew him to you again. "But if anybody talks bad about my husband, I'll give you something on the 12."  
Katakuri laughed harshly, hugged you and put his chin down on your head. You wrapped your arms around his upper body and pressed your face to his chest, sighed comfortably.  
"Don't act up," he whispered to you but thought he heard a hint of pride in his voice.  
  


At dinner in your father's house you were maltreated with angry looks. Hannah sat opposite you with a black eye and blood-stained lips. You returned the icy looks with an angry sparkle and poked around in your roast. Hilda seemed to find the whole thing deliciously amusing, but she was busy asking Katakuri about the mountains of candy on Whole Cake Island. He patiently answered her questions and Frieda seemed to be thrilled too. You would be sorry that the two of them cross-examined him like that, if it hadn't been for the hostile tension between you and the youngest. Your father watched the meal annoyed, he knew the quarrels among you girls only too well - but that you and Hannah were so angry with each other was new. Otherwise it was Hilda who made a huge scream and threw herself at Hannah. Eventually, things got too colorful for him and he put his fork aside.  
"Girl, what happened today?" he asked with a serious tone of voice. You recognized this tone only too well, it was the sign that he was fed up with your quarrels. First there was silence for a second, then you and Hannah both jumped up at the same time.  
"She hit me first! Just because I wasn't nice to her fucking idiot husband!"  
"Well wait, I'll show you who's an idiot-" you hissed and threw yourself angrily over the table, but Katakuri was faster and grabbed you by the hip. He pulled you back to your chair and put a hand on your shoulder to prevent you from getting up. Hilda and Frieda began giggling at your unusually impulsive reaction, but your father silenced them with an impatient look.  
"What exactly happened? Without another beating please," your father asked again.  
"I just told her that we were going to sail under a black flag," Hannah said, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "And she seems to object."  
"Father, it's suicide! If Big Mom finds out that you're indiscriminately attacking islands and ships under her banner-"  
"She won't know unless you or your husband tells her," Hannah intervened. You sat there in shock with your mouth open: Did she really accuse you of betraying your family?  
"You have not lived here for seven years," Aegir turned to you. "Circumstances have changed."  
"You must not do this anymore," you begged your father. They had no respect for your mother-in-law because they didn't know what she could be like. You had already experienced in your own body how irrational and irascible she was, what damage her moods could do. If she found out that your sisters were looting and stealing without her order, this island was doomed. Big Mom had nothing against piracy in her name, but the percentage had to be right. And since Hilda wasn't giving her a share at all at the time, it was only a matter of time before the tide turned and Big Mom got wind of it.  
"Katakuri, why don't you say something too," you hissed at your husband in rage. He looked down at you and briefly thought about whether he should really get involved.  
"It's not very wise to continue this," he finally said. "Big Mom is not very forgiving about these things."  
"I thank you for your advice." Aegir nodded at him politely. "But we need the resources that Hilda collects for us."  
"Then at least make an agreement with Mom," you kept talking to your father and turned briefly to Katakuri. "You're not being very helpful."  
"We've managed so far," Frieda interfered unexpectedly. "Please, we're really careful. We only strike at night and we haven't hoisted a Jolly Roger."  
"At least someone here with some sense." you muttered exhaustedly and drove over your face. It was all a nightmare! "And you always took detours so that no one could trace you?"  
"Yes, of course," Hilda growled and rolled her eyes while she continued to gobble down her food untouched. "I'm not stupid."  
"You won't be able to help it." Hannah's blue eyes pierced yours. "It's the only way we can live here anymore. We're a tribe of pirates now, you'll have to accept that. After all, you married a pirate, so it shouldn't be hard for you."  
"What the hell is your problem?!", you hissed angrily and hit the table with your fists so hard that the plates made a small movement. "You keep picking on my husband!"  
"Oh, as if that would bother him," growled Hannah and grabbed her sword to strap it to her back. She seemed to want to leave the food, and your father didn't stop her. "You in your perfect big house! With servants, and you live in hustle and bustle while we almost starve here in the winter!"  
She kicked her chair violently, and it slipped and tipped over a few feet off the floor. Stunned, you stared after her as she stomped through the hall and slammed the door behind her with a loud thunder. You looked at Katakuri, who shrugged his shoulders, and then at your father. He said nothing to you, did not look at you.  
"Is it true?" you asked. "I don't have enough food? Why didn't you tell me I had-"  
"What would you have?", your husband said to you. His look at you was cool and he had folded his arms. "Secretly have supplies shipped here from Big Mom? Steal from them and then supply an entire island? You know very well that she only lets the inhabitants of Totto Land share in her supplies.  
"I would have found a way," you replied sheepishly, but you knew he made a better argument. "Thanks for the food, Father, it was delicious."  
Together with Katakuri, you stood up, wishing the others a good evening and at the door to the lobby, your husband leaned down a little and grabbed your arm.  
"You and I need to have a serious talk."  
  



	6. The devil on my shoulder

The moment the door to the hut closed behind you, icy silence immediately returned. Katakuri said nothing, but you could feel exactly how angry he was. This only increased your own anger, it almost infected you. Seldom was he so upset that he showed it openly.  
"You have to stop this," he said in a calm but very cold tone. "I understand that the situation is difficult. But you have to stop dragging me into it."  
"Involve you?", you asked, admonishing you to stay calm inside. His presence only made you more angry - before your arrival at Litjässe you would never have thought you could feel so much anger.  
"Think about it for a second," he continued, seemingly unmoved by your heated manner. You could sense that he was as angry as you were. "It turns out that your sister is sailing under mom's flag without her knowing about it. And you ask me, one of the commanders, for advice? I should convince your sisters to stop?"  
You looked down, knew exactly what he was getting at.  
"Actually, I should tell them to mama right away," growled your husband and he walked past you into the small kitchen. You followed him, watched him take a glass out of the cupboard and get a bottle of whiskey from one of the cupboards. You raised an eyebrow - you rarely saw him drink. Only at the biggest celebrations he had drunk something now and then, or when he was at the end of his patience and Latin. Had you really annoyed him so much that he didn't know what to do?  
He emptied the half-full glass in one go and pulled his face in disgust. It was no secret that he didn't like strong liquor and yet he seemed to need a drink.  
"Do you have any idea what kind of situation you are putting me in," he turned to you, "You are giving me a choice: Either I betray your sisters to Mama or I betray my own mother.  
"Your mother is a monster," you hissed immediately and leaned your shoulder against the door frame. "She abuses her own children - damn it, she kills her own children! She's a lousy..."  
"Beware." With a cold, cutting voice he warned you not to finish this sentence. You flinched slightly, because he hadn't spoken to you like this in a long time. If you thought about it very carefully, it was the biggest fight you two ever had. Your head warned you, wanted to make you stop - but your gut instinct kept going. The rage inside you was unstoppable and called for quarrelling and fighting.  
"She is still my mother," Katakuri ended his warning and filled his glass again. You knew he was struggling with his temper. Never before had you experienced him like that, never before had you irritated him as you did at that moment. You wanted to say so much, but only the wrong things came out. Deep inside you knew that you were giving him an impossible choice. But the impulsive, desperate part of you wanted him on your side. Why were you so damn angry, he hadn't done anything to you!  
"Your mother is a bitch," you growled and your inner self was terrified - why did you say that? The words had slipped out of your mouth before you could stop them, even though you knew it was a serious mistake. Your eyes widened slightly and you slapped your hand in front of your mouth. The reaction of Katakuri was also immediate when the glass in his hand broke under the enormous pressure of his power and fell to the ground in shards. His eyes narrowed under the anger and you obeyed the first thought that came into your mind.

  
  
_Run!_

  
  
Jerkily you threw yourself around and ran for the door, but your husband was faster. With only a few steps he was behind you, grabbed your forearm and pulled you away from the door. The grip on your arm did not hurt and it was clear to him that he held back with all his strength. He didn't want to hurt you, but you had clearly crossed a line.  
"Have you lost your mind?!" he lorded you over. He pulled the scarf off his shoulders and threw it to the ground, wanted to talk to you openly and honestly, not hide behind the cloth. A wild mist of fear and anger veiled your thoughts, made you tremble. "Since when did you start acting like a petulant child?"  
"I am not a child," you replied and wrenched yourself from his grasp, your eyes full of angry tears.  
"You are behaving totally irrationally. This is not the woman I love." He came one step closer and grabbed you by the shoulder. "What's wrong with you?"  
"There's nothing wrong with me," you hissed hotly and broke away from him again. He was angry, upset and... hurt? Worried? You couldn't put a name to it, but he wasn't just angry with you. You said such mean things and despite everything he was worried about you - you should really apologize to him. It wasn't right to insult his mother or intentionally push him to the limits of his patience. What were you thinking?  
"I'm sorry," you brought out with difficulty and pushed down the anger with all your might. "I don't know why I said that."  
"Can't be changed now," Katakuri replied quietly and put one arm around your shoulder. He pulled you close to him, pressed a fleeting kiss on your lips and sighed. Once again, he came to meet you and forgave you your impetuous impulse - what did you do to deserve him?  
"I'm really sorry," you repeated and leaned your forehead against his chest.  
"I know."  
"I feel torn between you and my family," you tried to explain your strange behavior. "And then the wedding is tomorrow, it will be terrible..."  
"If you say it will be terrible, it really will be," he took a step back, lifted your chin and looked at you with an indefinable look. He himself seemed a little lost in all the concentrated emotions. Considering that he wasn't the type of man who liked to show his feelings, this day must have been a lot for him.  
"Would you like to go for a walk?" you asked shyly and took his hand. "Some fresh air will do us both some good."   


The village itself was already in turmoil over the coming wedding. The very next day the time would come and Hilda said yes to her Frieda. All guests had arrived, the beautiful clearing in the forest had been richly decorated and the food would be prepared from the next morning. A part of you was looking forward to the wedding, but another part could hardly wait to go home again.  
"Ah, my love, it's so good to see you!" An old acquaintance - the herbalist Ingrid - had discovered you and promptly took you in her arms. You almost disappeared in her luxurious décolleté and could only with difficulty and hardship worm your way out of her iron grip.  
"Ingrid, what a surprise," you replied friendly and promptly started a cheerful conversation with her. You hadn't seen her for almost ten years, there were enough topics you both could talk about.  
Katakuri, however, looked around discreetly. A strange feeling tickling in his neck as if someone was watching you. The burgundy eyes watched the small harbor until he finally spotted a familiar blond behind one of the corners of the house. You hadn't noticed Hannah yet, but Katakuri could only feel her angry look too clearly.  
"Watch it!" A little boy had bumped into you while playing and now looked up at you in fear. You looked at him angrily until he finally ran away intimidated. Katakuri stared at you - one moment you were engaged in a nice conversation and suddenly your mood changed, you snap at a child so roughly. He looked at the corner of the house where Hannah was leaning and kept watching you. Then he looked at you as you looked at the child in annoyance, but quickly had another friendly conversation with the herb woman. It hit him like the blow - how could he not have noticed?  
"Now I know what it is," you heard him say softly and you looked up at him. "Why you're acting so damned funny."  
"What are you talking about?", you asked, but he grabbed your shoulder and led you away from her after a short apology to Ingrid. "I'm angry because my sister is a stupid, irascible cow-"  
"No, you're not angry," he continued. "Not you, but her."  
You shook your head in confusion. What the devil did he mean?  
"How long have you had it?"  
"Have I what?"  
"The haki." Had he gone completely mad? You weren't a rabbit, no matter how hard you tried. Until now, every attempt to use the haki had been unsuccessful.  
"I can't use a rabbit," you said slowly, in the unlikely event that he had forgotten. "I never learned."  
"Surveillance haki cannot be obtained by training alone, you are born with it. It doesn't awaken in everyone, but in you..."  
"Katakuri, this is nonsense." you tried to convince him. "I'd have known if I could suddenly see into the future."  
"Only those who use the observation haki can see into the future, it often takes years of special training," he explained, "but some users of the haki can feel the emotions of other people. Untrained, it is often the case that the user is captured by the emotions.  
"I think that's pretty far-fetched," you replied. "Honestly, I would have noticed that..."  
"You often can't see the forest for the trees."  
"Hey!" you complained at once, but looked down thoughtfully. "Although it would explain a lot."  
"If the wedding is over tomorrow," your husband continued. "Let's get to the bottom of this. Haki must be trained and brought under control, otherwise it will harm the user."  
With wide eyes, you looked up at him and clapped your hands excitedly.  
"Do you think I'll be able to see into the future?" you asked enthusiastically. "That would be so cool!"  
"No," was the disappointing answer. "You'd have to train long and hard."  
"Ugh, no thanks," you muttered, rolling your eyes. "The normal training with you is enough for me. You're not a very nice teacher."  
He was clear that Katakuri didn't want this renewed discussion about his abilities as a teacher. Instead, he shook his head and looked at you earnestly out of his wine-red eyes.  
"We'll discuss the haki after the wedding," he said. "Until then, stay away from Hannah. If you really accept other people's feelings, you're not well off with her."  
  



	7. Until death do us part

"No, no. No. Just no."  
It was the morning of the wedding, and while you were squeezing yourself into an exquisitely embroidered dress with groans and curses, Katakuri came out of the bathroom, freshly showered, and he was about to put on his vest.  
"No," you repeated impatiently and grabbed the vest from his hands. "You will wear no clothes that say 'CHARLOTTE'."  
He rolled his eyes, but understood what you meant. The wedding party did not give much to Charlotte Linlin, so it was not very wise to praise herself by name.  
"Then what should I wear?"  
"I'm glad you asked," you replied with a mischievous smile and nodded to the bed. "I have already laid out a shirt for you."  
Katakuri sighed and put on the shirt woven from the finest linen. It was black and had fur on the collar to match his scarf. He didn't seem to feel very comfortable in it, but if you had to suffer in this tightly laced dress, he should suffer in the shirt too! Shared suffering was half suffering, as they said.  
"You look good," you said and examined him extensively, then pointed to his boots. "How about them spurs?"  
"The spurs stay."  
You sighed resignedly and shrugged your shoulders - making compromises was the key to a harmonious marriage. And if he wanted to wear the stupid spurs, so be it.  
"I would like to say that you look like a real half giant, but you're just too slim for that. And too well brought up," you said and thought of the male representatives of your kind. They were usually very plump, had full beards and behaved as if they had grown up in a barn. Luckily, your husband was a little more educated than the candidates on this island - at the thought of Floki you shivered under the rising disgust.  
"I understand about the vest, but why should I look like a giant," Katakuri asked and crossed his arms impatiently. "I am a human being."  
"Come on, you know I find the whole 'I'm almost 50 but still cool' thing really appealing, but not at a wedding.  
"What do you mean by that?"  
You gestured down at him a little bit and shrugged your shoulders.  
"Well, all the leather, the studs, the vest... Need I go on? Don't worry, I think it's really sexy - but not at my sister's wedding."  
He seemed to be a bit stupid, turned you around at the shoulder and started tying up your dress. A groan escaped you, because he pulled the ribbons very tight - probably revenge for you winding him up like that.  
"You're not getting any younger either," he teased you and you stepped on his foot with a playfully snapped 'Tse'. But you couldn't remain serious for long, and you threw a short but loving look over his shoulder. Affection flooded you like a warm, pleasant wave and you drew your brows together in irritation. Was this your feeling or his? Could you really feel his feelings so closely, so intensely as if they were your own? Sure, you always had a knack for his emotions. After only a few years of marriage it was easy for you to identify his emotions. After all, it was Katakuri, your husband! The person you loved most in this world and to whom you felt connected. He was the only one who understood you, the only one you could confide in and who loved you as you were. No hiding, no false facts. All the duties were unimportant when you were with him, the fulcrum of your world was only him.  
It took a moment before you realized that these feelings were not yours. It felt warm, you felt good and incredibly in love - but it wasn't just from you. Again you looked over your shoulder, watching Katakuri very closely. His hands tied the dress further and you saw the light smile hidden by the scarf at the roots of his scars.  
This intense, profound love was not yours - it was his.  
  


The wedding ceremony itself took place on the beautifully decorated clearing in the forest. It was so different from your own wedding, much more close to nature - or maybe it just seemed that way to you because a brave squirrel plucked the hem of your dress and you had to push it aside with your foot. All in all, the ceremony itself was just as boring as the weddings at home on Whole Cake Island. The last exciting wedding was Praline's, when she married the fish man Aladdin. Such a fish-man wedding was pretty wild, but even wilder would probably be the evening celebration. Giants were known for their glittering celebrations, the amount of alcohol and fights during the festivities. But this quiet wedding in the shade of a huge oak tree was rather predictable and dull. As sweet as the bridal couple was, the chattering gradually got to you.  
"Was our wedding as kitschy as all that?" you muttered to your husband. "It's almost disgusting."  
"If we could have liked each other back then, it would probably have been even worse than this," you received the equally quiet answer, and you couldn't help giggling. You just tried to concentrate on him and ignore the piercing looks of Hannah. Your little sister stood at Hilda's side, but whenever she could, she looked at you angrily. It upset you that she couldn't even stop acting at your sister's wedding, but Katakuri stood by your side and tore you out of your anger. With one hand on your back he held you down and the warm feeling in your chest grew more and more. Did he really love you so much that it could suppress Hannah's blind rage? Damn, what did you do to deserve that man...  
"Are they almost finished, I'm hungry," you muttered softly and looked up into the leaves of the tree. The sun had already passed its highest point, but the feast would only take place towards evening. Until then it was a matter of being patient, celebrating the union, and being happy for Hilda and Frieda. Of course you were happy about their wedding and you wished them all the best, but your stomach growled so loudly that you were afraid of embarrassing yourself.  
"Don't be so impatient," Katakuri whispered next to you, but also gave you an amused look. "You hardly ate anything at our wedding, remember?"  
"Because I was so afraid of you," you gurgled behind your hand. "You scared the shit out of me back then."  
Barely noticeable he nudged you with his shoulder while the priest lamented something about the gods. In retrospect, your wedding didn't seem so bad to you, even if it had been a turning point in your life seven years ago. You had been so afraid of your husband! But in the meantime you realized that he was actually just a big idiot - like all men. He too had his moments, the small times of the day when he was not serious and distant. You knew exactly how much he loved to lie around lazily, stuffing sweets inside himself and taking a nap once in a while. In your time on Litjässe you often caught him sleeping in the sun. He knew very well that on Flour Island there would be a completely different everyday life, so he enjoyed this 'vacation' to the fullest. He had earned it.  
"The corollas really do look pretty tattered," you heard Katakuri whispering softly to you and opened your mouth in indignation.  
"Then you better do it," you hissed, but only pretendedly insulted. "When our children marry, you will be allowed to weave the flower necklaces with joy.  
"Our children?", he asked immediately. Embarrassed, you looked to the side and wrestled with your hands. This was a topic that had never been touched before. But you weren't getting any younger, and neither was Katakuri!  
"Well, that's one thing I wanted to think about," you quietly admitted. "That's one thing I wanted to think about together with you. Whether you wanted to have children with me at all."  
"Pardon my carefree attitude in this area, but if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't." He replied, but seemed a little surprised by this topic. "But we probably shouldn't be discussing this in the middle of your sister's wedding ceremony."  
You nodded in agreement and held your stomach again, which growled loudly. How long would this damn ceremony go on?  
  


To your relief, the two were finally declared wife and wife, there was the expected kiss and you gave Hilda and Frieda both a hearty hug, wishing them all the happiness in the world.  
"Can we finally eat," you then asked weakly and pleadingly pulled the corners of your mouth down. "I am dying of hunger! I didn't have breakfast on purpose so that I could get a lot of the feast."  
"You're not alone in this," Hilda moaned next to you. "I've already thought about nibbling on the flower arrangements!  
Laughing, you hooked up with Katakuri and the wedding party began their way back to the village where the cooks were already busy preparing the food. The smell of freshly roasted vegetables and a hearty roast came towards you and your mouth was already watering.  
"Chief!" A young warrior came running towards you, just as you had left the hill in front of the village behind you. He was completely out of breath, but tried to report directly. "Ships were sighted!"  
"Ships?", Aegir asked immediately and frowned anxiously. "Are they guests? Stragglers perhaps?"  
"No, chief. All guests have already arrived."  
You felt the tension in Katakuri's muscles and a bad premonition came over you. If your family wasn't expecting anyone else to come to this celebration, what kind of ships were coming to this island? You looked towards the harbor towards the horizon, squinting your eyes a little, and your mouth opened in amazement. Three ships appeared in your field of vision, each decorated with a Jolly Roger high up on the mast.  
Black flags, black sails.

  
  
_Pirates._   
  



	8. It's a nice night for a black wedding

Disturbingly fast they approached you three ships and you tried to recognize the Jolly Roger. Why were the flags always so small?  
"Are they Mom's ships?", you asked your husband, shielding your eyes from the setting sun with your hands. "Or any allies of hers?"  
"I doubt it," he replied, turning you around by the shoulder. He grabbed the laces of your dress and tore them through, which made you squeal in horror.  
"Hey, my dress!" you protested immediately. "What are you doing?!"  
"No time to change. You must be able to move," he explained to you and before you knew it, he had his trident Mogura in his hand. Your father's warriors also began to move, they hurried the rest of the way to the village and made preparations. Archers were posted, fires were lit, and the elders and the children were brought to your father's house.  
"We practiced a lot," said Katakuri and pressed his weapon into your hand. "Let's see what you can do."  
"W-What?! No, I can't," you tried to contradict frantically but he already pulled you towards the harbor. Your sisters and Frieda followed you and suddenly all hostilities were unimportant and were postponed until later.  
"I thought no one had followed you," you frightened Hilda. She shrugged her shoulders as usual, but in her eyes you saw a glimmer of doubt. The pirates must have followed her and waited for a good moment, there was no other explanation for her sudden and so unerring appearance.  
"Well, we took a detour," she said, "doesn't mean it's impossible to follow us."  
"Oh come on, it'll be fun," Frieda tried to cheer you up as she tore the seams of her dress on her arms. "A black wedding, that's great!"  
"Black wedding?" you asked. What was so super about an attack?  
"A pirate wedding," explained Frieda, and she grabbed the hem of your dress and tore it down to your hips so that you would be able to move better. "You know, black pirate flags, wedding - black wedding!"  
"You're much too excited, it scares me," you squeaked and clung to Mogura. "I've never fought for my life before!"  
"There's always a first time," Katakuri intervened, watching the ships on the horizon. You stood beside him, your sisters and Frieda to your left. Aegir made every man and woman mobile, brought all the warriors down to the harbor. You felt a little overwhelmed, your stomach ached with fear. Why did you get into such chaotic situations again and again?  
"I'm scared," you mumbled honestly and backed off a little bit. "What if I mess up? What if someone dies because of me?"  
"Stay on the carpet," growled Hannah. "You've got your man. He can protect you."  
"Don't worry, I've got my eye on you," Katakuri tried to calm you down, but you could only fight against your dry mouth and racing pulse.  
  


There was no way to stop the ships from docking and before you knew it, you found yourself in a real fight. No training, no kid gloves.  
Three pirate gangs had joined forces, three gangs that had been robbed by Hilda. There were about 120 men you had to fight against and you thanked all available gods that Katakuri was with you.  
"You're going to your sister," he suddenly instructed you and you swallowed - would you be able to survive in this fight without him?  
"But-"  
"You'll be fine." He gave you a warm look, knowing your doubts. The fact that he put such trust in you gave you courage, so that you nodded and your grip on Mogura became tighter.  
"Okay," you agreed, and ran west, where the youngest fought off a dozen pirates. As quickly as your legs carried you, you were with her, back to back and both with their guns raised.  
"Watch out!" Hannah pushed you aside with her shoulder and raised her sword, catching the axe of a pirate. You stared at her with big eyes for a fraction of a second, but then you took the opportunity to kick the guy in the stomach so hard that he sank down and writhed on the floor like an eel. Hannah's blue eyes sparkled at you in anger, but you also recognized the concern in it.  
"Do I have to look after my big sister now?" she growled at you. "First you abandon me and then you let yourself be killed?"  
"I didn't abandon you," you hissed and you pushed the blunt end of Mogura in the face of a pirate behind you. His nose broke and blood spilled all over his face. "I married Katakuri to protect you - and then we fell in love!"  
"I was here all alone." Hannah swung her two-handed sword and caught a pirate in the shoulder. He screamed, held the bleeding wound and fell back, but more and more men came towards you. "While you're over there playing "Whole World" with that idiot over there.  
She nodded over to Katakuri, who just pushed a bunch of enemies into the sea with his mochi. For a moment you watched your husband, but then you changed your mind and concentrated on your own enemies again.  
"Hannah." You turned to your sister and looked at her with a warm look. "I love him. But I love you, too. You're my sister."  
"It's okay, it's okay." Hannah rolled her eyes and slapped you on the shoulder. "Maybe I was a little too rough on you."  
"I'll take that as an apology BOTH." You grabbed Hannah by the collar of her dress and pulled her back. Only a few millimeters the sword of a pirate missed her throat and you almost lost your little sister forever. With an angry growl, you stepped forward and thrust the head of the trident into the man's chest. A gurgling sound escaped his throat and blood spilled on the floor as you drew back your weapon. Frightened by your own determination, you flinched a little.

  
  
_He is dead._

  
  
That was the first time you had killed a human by yourself! The only disturbing thing was that you didn't care as much as expected. On the contrary, you felt a spark of pride in your chest, the pride of defending your family. You were not defenseless or weak, you could protect your loved ones when it really mattered!  
"Not bad!", you heard Hannah's voice behind you and you gathered your shoulders. It was time to prove yourself and finally stop whining, you said to yourself. After all, you were a grown woman and no longer a child!  
"Go to Hilda and Frieda," you said to the blonde. "I'm going to my husband."  
Hannah nodded silently and followed your order without answering back. A stone fell from your heart as you felt your anger fade. She hadn't just fizzled out, but it was much easier to breathe. You would make up with your sister again - though not necessarily on that day.  
You followed the harbor to the east, saw how Katakuri had caught a considerable number of pirates in a ball of mochi without too much effort. It almost looked funny how only the heads of the enemies looked out of the white mass. Then you saw how Katakuri paused briefly in his movements and then immediately turned in your direction. In astonishment, you saw him run off, directly towards you. You wanted to wave to him, show him that you were okay - but something suddenly stopped you. A cold feeling took hold of your body and a gruesome goose bump ran down your back. As if you were immersed in ice water, it filled every fiber of your body and paralyzed you: it was fear. A wave of pure fear and adrenaline flooded you.  
But it was not your fear, it was his.  
Confused, you shook your head, trying to get rid of the strange feeling. Something was wrong, something would happen. Something that scared the hell out of Katakuri. But it was Katakuri, he was never scared! What could be so bad, what would happen that he was so overwhelmed by panic?  
A battle cry came to your ears. Astonished, you turned around and saw one of the pirates jumped off the railing of his ship, sword in hand. The blade came straight at you, the tip aimed at your face.  
Blood splashed across the floor, the trident lay uselessly in your trembling hands. You expected the end of your life, the blade in your skin - but your time seemed not to have come yet. A strong arm had wrapped itself around your waist, pulled you aside and only after a moment of terror did you dare to open your eyes again.  
"Katakuri!", you escaped with relief when you saw that he had saved you from certain death. Your husband had grabbed you and pulled you to himself, pushing his left arm in front of you for your protection. A deep cut gaped at his forearm and blood dripped to the ground. Your attacker was stunned by his failed attack but was immediately grabbed by Katakuri at the neck and with a disgusting crack he broke his neck.  
"Your arm," you cried in shock and looked up at your husband. "Katakuri, I'm so sorry.  
"Are you hurt?" he interrupted you. You shook your head violently, but still stared at the deep injury on his left arm. Tears rose to the corners of your eyes - it was your fault. If only you had been more careful, this wouldn't have happened!  
"You're okay." He didn't say it to you, he wanted to reassure himself. Worried, you put one hand on his chest, drawing his attention to you. You watched him, felt his heavy breaths under your fingers.  
"Katakuri." Your voice trembled under the amount of adrenaline and the disgusting smell of blood. "What did you see in the future?"  
The wine-red eyes were so full of pain and fear that it almost took your breath away. His grip on your waist tightened a little and you realized what he must have seen; that he had stopped it at the last second.


	9. When you call, I'll be at your side

  
With fingers still trembling, you wrapped the bandage around Katakuri's arm one last time and fastened it so that it couldn't slip. The last hours had been hell on earth and you were more than sure that you could not stand fights and battles. You almost died, almost Hannah was almost killed and some of your father's warriors were injured. It was only thanks to Katakuri that you had all the pirates on the run - he had made it more than clear that this island was under Big Mom's protection. After the battle he had spoken a serious word with your sisters and your father. They should make an agreement with Mom, otherwise they would be completely defenseless in the next attack. Grinding their teeth, your sisters had to agree, because which was more important: their pride or the village?  
"You're so quiet." Katakuri looked at you attentively, patterned you until you finally sighed slightly.  
"I could feel your fear," you admitted quietly, placing one hand on his wounded arm. Guilt rose in you and made your stomach ache - after all, it was your fault that he had been hurt. You hadn't been paying attention and once again it showed that you weren't a fighter.  
"Pretty rude that you just feel inside me without asking," he tried to cheer you up, but it didn't work. This unrestrained fear still tickles under your skin, making your fingers tremble.  
"What if I had really died?", you asked depressed. The thought did not let go of you, gnawed at you - if it went on like this, you would end up with an ulcer.  
"But you didn't die."  
"But you didn't die."  
"Stop it." Katakuri put a hand on your neck, pulled you a little closer. "To run away in "if" and "when" is dangerous."  
"It was really close, I could feel it," you replied defiantly. Even though he didn't seem to want to talk about it - not surprisingly, Katakuri was simple - you needed to talk. You wanted to share your worries with him and get rid of your fear.  
"It wasn't the first time it was close," he said. "I never told you before because I knew exactly how it would upset you."  
"What? When was it close?" Angered, you opened your mouth to scold him, but you let it go. He was going easy on you, didn't want you to worry. That was very commendable of him, but he had not been honest with you!  
"That thing with the factory six years ago, you would have died if I had gotten the worker out instead of you. ", he began to enumerate. "Then there was the story of the four-meter-high marzipan cake on your birthday and your grandiose idea for Chiffon's wedding. You bet with Galette that you'd be a real sword swallower."  
"I don't even remember that last part," you moaned and buried your face in your hands. Were you really such a hard case of recklessness?  
"You and Galette had a lot of fun that night." He still seemed to be having a great time about it, while you wanted to sink into the ground. Galette was always in a good mood at family weddings and she would take you away with her only too often, so you both usually ended up with a hangover the next day. Fun always had its price, to your sorrow.  
"How can you bear it with me...", you muttered with a guilty conscience. The man really had to have the patience of a saint when you were constantly getting yourself into trouble!  
"We should say goodbye slowly, I just want to go home", you suddenly changed the subject. Katakuri would send a messenger from Big Mom to Litjässe as soon as you had returned home and finally found peace and quiet again. The messenger would then negotiate the share of the captured treasures of your sisters and finally they could increase their resources without hesitation and did not have to go hungry in winter. Maybe you could send them some supplies anyway - you would think of some possibility.  
  


"Are you writing to me again?", you asked and wrung your hands nervously. It was time to leave, your ship was ready to cast off and it was time to say goodbye to your family once again. It made you sad, but it could not be changed.  
"Maybe." Hannah avoided your gaze, she didn't seem to know what to say or how to deal with the situation. It was a strange, uncomfortable mood - oppressive and heavy. You hadn't quite gotten along, but the hostility had subsided a little.  
With a hug you said goodbye to Hilda, your new sister-in-law Frieda and finally it was time to go home. Together with Katakuri you stood at the railing after you had left the ship, with mixed feelings you watched the island of your home country and how it moved away on the horizon and finally disappeared completely. A sigh escaped you as you thought about the strains of this journey. You would definitely spend your next vacation somewhere else!  
"Katakuri?"  
"Hmm?  
You took a deep breath, soaked up as much courage as you could and then looked up at him. The red eyes looked at you and you had to control yourself very much so that the courage didn't leave you again. It was time, you finally had to tell him.  
"We talked about children," you said softly. "I think I need to tell you something about that."  
"I already know."  
"What? How?" you asked at once. How could he have known?  
"At the wedding ceremony, it was the first time you ever brought up the subject of children, but that really only confirmed me. You've been pretty moody for a few weeks now, I've got a damn well-trained observation shaki and last but not least: I've known your body for seven years. Did you really think I wouldn't notice your vastly superior qualities?" The mischievous smile under his scarf grew a little wider and you saw the amusement in his eyes. Caught you crossed your arms in front of his chest and gave him an annoyed look.  
"Seriously? You got into this because of my boobs?"  
"What can I say, I just notice them." With the best will in the world, you couldn't resist laughing anymore and you playfully slapped him in the shoulder. Well, he was still a man.  
"And yet you let me fight yesterday," you turned to him, a little more serious. "Pretty daring."  
He sighed and nodded, seemed to regret indeed not having stopped you.  
"Mama always fought, pregnant or not. I'm not used to delicate women like you," he explained. Outraged, you gave him another pat on the shoulder, but he was quite right. You were much more delicate than the other women in the Charlotte family. But was that really bad?  
"Don't get me wrong." Katakuri seemed to be able to read your mind again and you got a kiss on the forehead. "I wouldn't wish otherwise."  
"Still the same old romantic," you muttered and leaned on his shoulder.  
He would probably never change - fortunately.


End file.
